Felicia Hall Allen offers tips on managing transition at the NFL’s The Bridge to Success

By Rachel Terrill, Player Engagement Insider

Motivational speaker Felicia Hall Allen encouraged NFL Legends with her passionate presentation about transition at the NFL’s The Bridge to Success.

“As NFL players, you were one of the best players to ever play the game of football. Now you have the opportunity to be a legend,” Hall Allen said. “One of the greatest tragedies in life would be to get to the end of your life and realize that you were living someone else’s dream.”

The six key themes of Hall Allen’s presentation were making the transition, redefining winning, owning your own game plan, success in the details, measuring success, and knowing who’s got your back.

Making the Transition: “The Bridge to Success is a cheat sheet for all that is available to you along the way. Sometimes, all you need to do is keep walking that bridge to success. Sometimes, we don’t get there because we stop walking.”

Redefining Winning: To redefine winning, she suggested adjusting focus, “Can you see the WIN in What’s important now?”

What’s

Important

Now

“That trophy you won yesterday is not going to put food on the table today.”

Owning Your Own Game Plan: Set your vision and establish a mission that matters. “What’s your WHY?” Hall Allen suggested a focus on managing priorities, working with purpose, shifting your brand and leading from where you are. Most successful people act as if the success of the organization depends on them.

In your company, you play every role. You are the CEO, the CFO, and CMO. You’re the face of the organization. You’re in charge of the financial plan. And you’re the ambassador for your organization.

No matter the position or organization, every position is there for a reason. The janitor at NASA knows he is there to help put people on the moon.

Success in the details: “Begin with mutual purpose,” she said.

What do you want for yourself?

What do you want for your team (family)?

What do you want for your career?

Measuring Success: Knowing how you measure success can help you prioritize your end result. “How do you measure success?” she asked. Some ways people measure success may include:

Money

Happiness

Quality Relationships

Security

Freedom

Peace of Mind

Personal Fulfillment/Satisfaction

Knowing how to begin in transition can be the hardest part. Hall Allen offered five steps to take while in transition:

Step One – Find comfort in the discomfort

Step Two – Push boundaries. Rediscover you.

Step Three – Set your vision. Establish a mission that matters. Do your homework. Take action.

Step Four – Protect Your house. Take care of home.

Step Five – Seek assistance and accept guidance

Knowing Who’s Got Your Back: Just as NFL teams look for the best at each position NFL Legends should build their teams wisely. “Who’s got your back?” Hall Allen asked.

There are three key types of relationships to consider when building your team:

Intimate relationships – People who see into your soul and see who you really are (may be spouse or family member or other close friend).

Strategic Relationships – Mentors, Sponsors, Promoters, Life Coaches.

Lifeline Relationships – People who are there no matter what to pull you up – people who remember who you really are when it’s hard for you to see.

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own,” she said, quoting former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

“The NFL is giving you an opportunity to build your future. Have no regrets,” Hall Allen urged. “This is a game. The best is yet to come.”

The Bridge to Success is an annual event to help players to successfully transition from the NFL toward the rest of their lives. For more information email nflplayeradmin@nfl.com or check out this video:

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